


Third Time is a Charm

by Destiel



Category: Code Black (TV)
Genre: Exploration, M/M, Past Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-03
Updated: 2018-02-03
Packaged: 2019-03-13 05:46:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13564122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Destiel/pseuds/Destiel
Summary: Neal and Mike meet at a conference, seeing each other the 3rd time after losing contact twice...





	Third Time is a Charm

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nea](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nea/gifts).



** Third time is a charm **

 

When Mike Leighton recognized Neal Hudson at this conference his father had forced him to attend in his place, it felt like a blast from the past. Neal was standing there in all of his glory, looking as good as ever, in those tight blue jeans and the white shirt he was wearing.

 

For a moment Mike considered leaving without even saying ‘hello’, but decided otherwise. His heart felt like it was trying to jump out of his chest when he walked over to Neal and tapped him on the shoulder.

 

The smile he got when Neal turned around and recognized him was worth every bit of nervousness he had felt up until this moment. And the hug Neal pulled him into even moreso. A hug that lasted much longer than necessary. A hug Mike wanted to lose himself into, because it felt so damn good. So familiar.

 

Mike almost expected Christa to be around somewhere too, Neal being married to her or something close to it, only to find out that they had split up a few weeks after they had left Angels Memorial together.  And that Neal was single now. It felt like a sign to Mike. A sign that _finally_ their timing could be right.

 

Mike and Neal never left each other’s side again after that. They spent the whole day together and when Neal accompanied Mike to his hotel room in the evening they could both feel the tension in the air. A tension that seemed to explode the moment they were inside of Mike’s room, their lips finding each other in one of the best kisses Mike had ever experienced.

 

“I can’t believe this is really happening...” Mike mumbled in between two kisses, just barely catching his breath. His hands were busy unbuttoning the white shirt Neal was wearing, exploring every little inch of skin he could get his fingers on. He stumbled backwards until his back hit the wall, getting trapped between it and Neal’s body. Not that he minded.

 

“But it is,” Neal said, smiling at him gently. His hands cupped Mike’s face and he looked deep into his eyes. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this,” he whispered, stealing another kiss from Mike’s lips.

 

A warm and fuzzy feeling started to spread deep in Mike’s stomach, a feeling he had almost forgotten even existed, a feeling he only ever had had when he had been close to Neal.

 

Neal Hudson.

 

The only guy – probably the only person – he had ever truly loved. Aside from his family.

 

“It’s been you, Neal. It’s always been you,” Mike admitted, one of his hands getting caught in Neal’s soft, dark hair, while his blue eyes were captured by the deep brown of Neal’s. “Our night together all these years ago was the best night of my life.”

 

Making a confession like that made Mike feel vulnerable, but at the same time it gave him strength. Because for the first time ever he was completely honest to Neal. If he had realized one thing after his helicopter accident, it was that life was short. He had wasted enough time being with the wrong people. He was not going to make that mistake ever again.

 

“Why did you never say anything?” Neal asked, not breaking eye-contact even for a second.

 

Mike swallowed, biting his bottom lip. It took him a moment to answer.

 

“Because I didn’t wanna destroy our friendship and I didn’t wanna lose you. Better having you as my best friend than not at all. Besides; you said this was just an experiment for you.”

 

Neal tilted his head in confusion.

 

“That’s not how I remember it,” he disagreed. “I know it’s been a while since our first year as residents but I thought we had both agreed that it was a one-time-thing. That it had happened because we had both been curious how it would feel to be with a guy.”

 

“I lied,” Mike replied, looking away. “I wasn’t just curious. I was head over heels in love with you. From the moment I met you. I thought getting you to make out with me would make you realize that you liked me too.”

 

“Oh Mike,” Neal sighed, his nose nudging Mike’s cheek. “I _did_ like you too.”

 

“What?” Mike’s eyes widened in surprise. “But you said...”

 

“I know what I said,” Neal cut him off. “But you said the same thing. Your exact words were ‘that was interesting’. So I thought it’s better to just agree with you and not make things complicated. I didn’t want you to feel bad for not enjoying it as much as I did. Being so close to you... Mike, I’ve never felt this connected to anyone in my life. Not before and not afterwards. Everyone that came after you paled in comparison, but since I thought I would never experience something like that again ever I settled for the thing that came closest.”

 

“Oh my god,” Mike blurted out, shaking his head in disbelief. “I am so stupid.” He burst out in laughter, leaning his forehead against Neal’s shoulder. “So stupid.”

 

“Looks like we both are,” Neal joined his laughter, pulling him closer.

 

“So you are saying we could have been together all these years ago but were both too afraid to admit to our feelings for each other?” Mike asked, looking up at Neal.

 

“Seems that way,” Neal nodded, gently touching Mike’s face, his thumbs caressing Mike’s cheekbones.

 

“If I had known I probably would have never left Angels Memorial after my residency,” Mike whispered. “But then you met Grace and as happy as I was for you, I couldn’t stand to see you with her.”

 

“And here I thought you hated her,” Neal replied.

 

“I didn’t hate her,” Mike explained. “I hated the fact that she could make you smile like that whenever you were talking about her or looking at her. When you told me you were going to propose to her I couldn’t take it any longer. I knew I had to get out of Los Angeles and try to find my own happiness.”

 

“I wish you had just told me how you really felt. You know I would have never hurt you on purpose,” Neal reassured him.

 

“I know,” Mike smiled sadly. “And now I wish I really had.” He lifted one of his hands to touch Neal’s face. “But it doesn’t matter anymore, because I’m not making the same mistake again. We lost each other twice. First I walked out of your life and then you walked out of mine. I’m not letting that happen ever again.”

 

“Is that a threat?” Neal joked.

 

Mike smirked at him.

 

“It’s a promise.”

 

Looking deep into Neal’s eyes, he wrapped his arms around Neal’s neck and pulled him close, bringing their foreheads together.

 

“Now, that we’ve clarified our intentions, can we go back to kissing and making out?”

 

“Gladly,” was the only thing Neal said before he pressed his lips against Mike’s, making Mike melt into him as if they were two pieces of a puzzle fitting together perfectly.

 

And maybe they were.

 

For the first time in a long time – maybe ever – Mike felt complete.

**Author's Note:**

> I need to get my writing MoJo active again, and so on LJ I asked my f-list to give me some prompts... which some people did... one of them was:
> 
> \- Mike/Neal (pre-series, season one or two), I don't care, just give me some Mike/Neal cuteness (Angus and Mario can be mentioned too, if it fits)
> 
>  
> 
> It's not EXACTLY what was requested, but I hope it's okay anyway.
> 
> Also: As I don't have a beta-reader, it's not betaed, but I did my best to find all the mistakes!


End file.
